CONFIDENTIAL
101306
MDLIAN 8734
CONFIDENTIAL
FM BTC HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 108
OF 14091OZ APRIL 92
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, HONG KONG
HONG KONG (FOR POLITICAL ADVISER)
YOUR TELNO 73: ANGLO TAIWAN TRADE COMMITTEE: COMMUNICATIONS.
1.
I HAVE NO OBJECTION TO THIS OFFICE BEING USED AS A COLLECTION POINT FOR ITEMS WHICH CANNOT BE SENT DIRECT TO TAIPEI AND ALSO AS A CONDUIT FOR TELEGRAMS. I SUGGEST HOWEVER THAT THIS SYSTEM BE USED AS SPARINGLY AS POSSIBLE GIVEN THE EVER INCREASING DEMANDS BEING PLACED ON THIS POST FOR REGIONAL SERVICES.
2. I SEE ADVANTAGE IN CONTINUING THE ARRANGEMENTS WHEREBY WE FROM THIS OFFICE VISIT TAIPEI: CURRENTLY DAVID SMITH (DS7) GOES ABOUT 3-4 TIMES A YEAR FOR BRIEFING PURPOSES, AND HE COULD OF COURSE ACT AS A CASUAL COURIER FOR CLASSIFIED MATERIAL. INDEED NOW THAT WE HAVE HAD EXPERIENCE OF A NUMBER OF VISITS AT THIS LEVEL, WITHOUT INCIDENT, I SEE MERIT IN OUR WIDENING THIS PROGRAMME JUST A TOUCH. I UNDERSTAND THAT WE ACCEPT THAT IT NEED NOT ALWAYS BE DAVID SMITH, BUT CAN BE OTHERS, UP TO POSSIBLY COUNSELLOR RANK (BUT NOT ME OR MY SUCCESSOR AT LEAST UNTIL WE HAVE HAD ABOUT A YEAR'S EXPERIENCE OF THIS PROPOSED WIDENING OF OUR APPROACH), ON THE SAME BASIS AS DAVID SMITH'S VISITS. A LOT OF THE TRADE IS RELATED: WE BRIEF A LOT OF BUSINESSMEN ON OPPORTUNITIES IN TAIWAN: IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SPREAD OUR KNOWLEDGE MORE WIDELY. THE TARGETED NUMBER OF VISITS (ABOUT FOUR A YEAR) WOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED. THIS WOULD ALSO REDUCE THE NEED FOR AT LEAST SOME OF THE VISITS FROM TAIWAN TO HERE.
3.
WE WILL BRIEF ERHMAN, POLITICAL ADVISER, BUT I DOUBT WHETHER ANYTHING MORE FORMAL IS NEEDED VIS A VIS THE HONG KONG ADMINISTRATION. I AM NOT AWARE OF ANYONE ELSE NEEDING TO BE INFORMED (YOUR PARA 5).
HEAP
YYYY
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